Be My Princess ✔️

Chapter 8

I was sixteen when you broke my heart the second time.

My parents and I came down to visit for Phoebe's fifth birthday party, which was at the park. You and your father were there too and you had no new lover this time. I was happy for that; I had hoped that I wouldn't need to fight for your attention. And I had even hoped that you would be able to see me as more of a man now.

My body was changing. My voice was deepening. I was no longer lanky or scrawny. I was beginning to look like Big Brother, but even more handsome as Sister Tiana pointed out. She was probably only saying that to tease her husband, but it gave me confidence. I was beginning to look like a man, an adult. Someone you could depend on, someone you could see as your prince. And you would finally become a real princess.

So I was shocked when you dismissed me. It was fine at first, things were normal, like when I was a child. You smiled, you giggled, you hugged me. But then a group of girls my age came up to me. Excited to meet a prince. But before I could dismiss them, you suddenly turned to leave. And when I stopped you, you told me, with a sweet angelic smile, to spend some time with the other girls. To waste my time with an old lady like you.

I was almost offended that you even called yourself old. You were only twenty-eight. Your skin was still smooth, still glowing, you had no gray in your hair, you were still as young and youthful as the first day we met. A little heavier, a little less loud, but still the same beautiful woman I fell in love with almost ten years before.

But even as you left, I was too stunned to chase after you at first. So I sat there, surrounded by women all eager to chat about whatever came to their minds. When Big Brother was younger, he would have loved this. But I was not him. I did not enjoy this sort of attention; it only made things more awkward in the long run. Fortunately, I was able to escape from them and found you sitting on the bench by a pond.

You looked to be in a dream. I had heard you humming softly to yourself, a smile on your face. Your hair blew in the wind, your head was titled back, and your eyes were closed. It was like you had fallen out of a painting. Another reminder of just how beautiful you were... and I pulled you out of your dream when I sat down next to you.

You were surprised before you laughed, warning me it wasn't good for a prince to run off. What if I missed my princess? You said that I would miss my chance at true love and you didn't want that.

So I said that you were my princess. That I was with my true love now.

Then you laughed. You called me cute and precious. Just the sweetest boy you knew and that I was a regular Prince Charming. That I was going to make plenty of girls fall for me with just a few words. Almost like Big Brother when he and Sister Tiana first met.

Both my pride and my heart sunk, but I could not say anything back. No matter how sincere I was, no matter how old I was, no matter how much of a man I thought I could become, you wouldn't look at me. I just laughed along with you, though it was only to hide just how pathetic I was. Was it because you thought I was a child? Was it because you didn't think I was serious? I didn't know what else to do or say to convince you that I loved you.

I was devastated, but there was nothing I could do but laugh with you.